


a man by any other name

by kw_drewfan



Category: Nancy Drew (TV 2019)
Genre: Banter, F/M, Name Reveal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-25
Updated: 2020-03-25
Packaged: 2021-03-01 04:41:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,338
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23309311
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kw_drewfan/pseuds/kw_drewfan
Summary: "Not knowing Ace’s real name never seemed like that big of a deal. It was just so normal and so familiar to call him Ace without ever giving it a second thought."When Nancy discovers what his first name is, she knows she has to hit him up with it in the most Nancy Drew way she knows how.
Relationships: Ace & Nancy Drew, Ace/Nancy Drew, Nancy Drew/Joe Hardy, Ned Nickerson/George Fan (mentioned)
Comments: 15
Kudos: 127





	a man by any other name

**Author's Note:**

> The entire premise of this fic is based on the popular theory that Ace is, in some form or fashion, based on or otherwise meant to actually be Joe Hardy. I don't think it's ever mentioned in canon that anyone knows Ace's last name sflgjgjs but, if they know who his father is (this absolute legend on the force) then SURELY they know Ace's last name by now, right? So, yeah, that's what I'm going with at least. Enjoy.  
> (also I know the title sucks LOL I COULDN'T THINK OF ANYTHING SORRY)

Not knowing Ace’s real name never seemed like that big of a deal. It was just so normal and so _familiar_ to call him Ace without ever giving it a second thought.

In fact, Nancy really didn’t concern herself with his identity until she was searching through an undoctored list of birth records in the Horseshoe Bay area from 1996 - 2001. It was for a case, of course, but she couldn’t help the devilish grin that appeared on her face when she happened to stumble across a certain name on the list that made her take pause; she thought for a moment, until suddenly everything snapped into place. A few quick google searches later and she had confirmed her suspicions, finding not only the name she was looking for to solve the mystery at hand, but also the name that solved another less pressing, yet longstanding mystery in its own right.  
“Bingo,” she says with a mischievous rasp to her voice, resealing the folder and shaking it back into its manila envelope.

It wasn’t until much later that day, however, that she got to approach Ace with her findings. She and the entire Drew Crew were, of course, busy for hours running all over town to follow up on leads. In this usual endeavor of theirs, for the last few months at least, it was impossible for Nancy to ignore the reality that Nick and George always manage to team up for whatever task is assigned individually to either of them; though Nancy’s relationship with Nick has been long since over, it was not until recently that was able to restfully observe the behavior exchanged between her ex-boyfriend and the girl who went from being Nancy’s high school enemy, to reluctant employer, to best friend.

The prickling sensation that once caused her muscles to tense up at the sight of them together was no longer present, nor was the ache or the longing or jealousy. She was finally able to look at Nick, her friend, and be supportive of his newfound relationship with George. They were taking it slow, which is something that Nancy supposes it would serve her well to do every once in a while herself, and it seems like they’re truly happy to be together - even stone-cold George, who scarcely ever expresses any sign of affection, will occasionally utter an “I love you” in the most serious tone of voice whenever he’s about to leave.

Nancy is happy for them, though admittedly, after a complete fail of a rebound romance with Owen Marvin, she’s about ready to start feeling happy for herself.

So here they are, all 5 of them, gathered in the kitchen of The Claw to discuss everything they’d learned that afternoon… which, unfortunately, proves to be a dead-end conversation.

“Seriously?” Nancy complains, dropping her arms to her sides, “Nothing?”

“Sorry, Nancy. It isn’t exactly the easiest thing in the world to find an ex-con and his mouth-breathing goonies who are totally off-the-grid in one day,” George quips with her hands flat on the metal table.

Nancy sighs and forces herself to grin a little - for her friends’ sake, as well as her own sanity. “I’m sorry, guys. I think I got a little over ambitious with this one. But at least we have the name of Carroll’s daughter; surely that will lead us somewhere.”

Bess nods in agreement, “Absolutely! But - I think that’s a task for tomorrow, don’t you?” she looks expectantly at Nancy but continues before she has a chance to respond, “I mean, I think that we should all just go home, and relax, and take this time to unwind a little so we can all be well-rested for tomorrow.”

“You have a date with Lisbeth, don’t you?” George says flatly.

“Aah, yes, there's also that.”

Nancy shakes her head in amusement. “It’s fine. We’ll have plenty of time to follow up tomorrow. Thanks, guys.”

As Bess bounds eagerly out the back door, Nick pauses to give Nancy a wave and George points sternly at Ace.

“Remember to thaw out that big bag of shrimp before you leave, Ace. I’m not joking around. If you forget one more time I’m going to start calling you by your last name.” a beat passes, “You got that, Hardy?!”

Ace swallows. “Yeah - uh, please don’t do that.”

“ _Thaw the shrimp_.”

After George has slammed the back door shut behind her, Nancy chuckles a bit and approaches Ace from behind. “You know, it’s _so_ easy to forget that your dad’s name is Thom Hardy. I mean what are the odds, right?”

With a careful fold of a dish towel, Ace lifts his eyebrows in agreement.

Nancy steps a little closer. “So, hey. Hardy’s your last name. You got a first name, too, don’t you?”

Ace is extremely perceptive, so he can’t help but pick up on the teasing lilt in Nancy’s voice when she asks him this. It does strike him a little odd, but he leans his lower back against the counter and replies honestly regardless.

“Yeah - yeah, I do. I just never felt it really suited me, so. Ace is better. Plus, that’s what my dad used to call me when I was growing up,” after a brief flash of a somber expression, Ace quickly turns to grin at Nancy, “You know. Like, Ace detective?”

“Detective?” Nancy repeats amusedly, eyes widening with surprise as she props one hand on her hip. “Ohhhh, you’ve never mentioned this.”

“Yeah, I know, I haven’t _mentioned_ it ‘cause it’s not a big _deal_ ,” Ace insists as he strides across the room to the freezer. A jumbo-sized blue plastic bag loaded with frozen shrimp is soon in his arms as he tosses it inside the fridge.

“I don’t know, it sure sounds like a _relevant_ deal. Considering what your life has more or less turned into thanks to me.”

“It's not. When I was really little, like a baby - whenever my parents would turn on crime shows, like COPS and stuff… I would stop crying and start watching. They joked that I was gonna grow up to be a detective - so, my dad started calling me Ace.” the distant thoughtful look that comes over his face keeps Nancy from saying anything, because she can tell there’s something formulating in his brain. And sure enough, a moment later he looks back up at her.

“Do you think they’re disappointed that I grew up to be a dishwashing pseudo-hacker?”

Nancy gives him a face - that lighthearted teasing face again - and sways to one side, “Oh, nahh, how could anyone be disappointed in you, Ace?”

He looks down with a nonchalant shrug.

There’s a short silence during which Nancy keeps her eyes fixed on her friend and a light smile on her lips; he had elected to wear his baseball cap today, pairing it with a darker-toned hawaiian shirt in a bold move. Maybe it was weird, but there was something about that shirt in this strange and dim lighting that caused the shadows of its fabric to ripple in the most satisfying way as it hangs down from his torso just a little. There was also his arms.

Nancy blinks a few times to clear her head, and she can tell that the smile on her face probably looks a touch more stiff than it did before. She slowly rounds the side of the table till she’s saddled up next to him.

“Well. For the record…” she takes a moment after these words, looking him in the eyes to make sure she has his attention, “I think Joe is a great name.”

She only looks at him for a moment before turning on her heel to make her exit, grinning the entire trip to the door. Ace merely stands there, outwardly unaffected but internally dumbfounded, watching her blue dress swish as she walks away from him.

He looks down at his fists and awkwardly bumps one on top of the other while Nancy pulls open the exit door.

 _Slam_.


End file.
